Striking poses in the City of Roses.

“Sometimes there’s so much beauty in the world I feel like I can’t take it, like my heart’s going to cave in.”

-Ricky Fitts, American Beauty 1999

As much as I love [love, love] to write, at times I would rather sit back and look. Images inspire ideas [ideally, WINK]. Last week, a new phone came into my life, hurrah!, and the return of mobile upload capabilities has sent me into image-capture overdrive ever since. I actually have to stop myself from sharing too much with my friends of the Facespace sort. Do they really want to see what the rug looks like at the coffee shop I’m at?! No! [but it’s sooooo clever, says my mind’s eye]

I reference the quote above from American Beauty nearly everyday in my mind. It truly is overwhelming how much loveliness is readily accessible in the world without even putting forth much effort. Alarm goes off, eyes open, what do you see first? Is there beauty in the way your sleepy peepers automatically adjust to take in the weird yellow green color of the clock numbers? Or what if your first glance darts to the curves of the ceiling fan above? Is there beauty to be seen in every waking moment?

Oh baby, I think so.

On the fairest of information highways, I often find myself perusing site after site online, audibly proclaiming excitement/inspiration/delight at what I see. The only way I know to reconcile all the sensory stimulation around me is to record it like a madwoman. And since I was brought up like a good Midwestern gal [corn fed, in bed by 9pm], I am good at sharing with others. Behold some recent gems. Some are silly, some are subtle, all are PoseCity deemed beautiful.

Ri Ri’s red hair!!! She is so fearless when it comes to experimenting with her look. Rihanna is not afraid of color or accessories, both of which can be risky, but she pulls it off so admirably. Being draped in Miu Miu with Matt Kemp on your arm can’t hurt a girl’s ensemble either.

Photo cred: vogue.com/parites

No surprise that Vogue would throw an amazing Halloween party. This photo is from one shin-dig held at Lanvin’s new store on Madison Avenue. It reminds me of cotton candy and I really like the unique perspective of the frame. I want to party with Alber Elbaz & co!

Beauty in music vid form. I saw Y La Bamba perform in May and their music is hauntingly dreamy. Other worldly. I love the final images in this video of Luz Elena Mendoza’s shadow running into the light at dusk, then finally exploding into a flock of birds! Swoon!

Sigh… don’t you just feel full? Like you ate a multi-course meal from the kitchen of the Fashion Goddesses? Yum yum yum.

Hope all settles well in those tummies. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to any Pose-rs heart surely must be through the eyes.

A recent day-off shop visit has my Pose-worthy panties all in a twist… for all the right reasons. Wink!

Palace came heavily recommended to me by a trusted source. I did my research and found out that they are closed on Mondays [keep reading for an update on this… foreshadowing!], so I made a rare Sunday visit to the east side after my time at Folly. As if I needed an excuse to make a venture to my old stomping grounds! After properly caffeinating courtesy of nearby Stumptown on Belmont, I headed across the street to shop/scout/judge.

Stepping into Palace is like stepping into a Sofia Coppola movie. Very Virgin Suicides to me; little details of whimsy here and there, porcelain figures adorned the counter of an antique chest of drawers in the dressing room- a room that is concealed not by a hum drum curtain or door, but by a patchwork quilt [mom, can you hear me?]. I half expected an ethereal Kirsten Dunst as Lux Lisbon to emerge and help me zip up the dress I was trying on. It was amazing and the very essence of why boutique shopping is so special. These shops create an ambiance, an experience that is unattainable in a mall or Nordstrom Rack. And the best part? Palace is actually just as affordable as the generic, mass produced big guys.

Photo cred: PoseCity

Ok, so the BEST part might actually be the cassette of Live Through This that I scored along with the items above, but in any case, Palace is a destination for all ranks of fashion royalty. Immediate Facebook support followed my visit, and I am thrilled to report that starting November 1, they will not only be open on Mondays, but will offer 15% off on all purchases on the most manic day of the week. LIKE.

My visit to Palace clearly got me a few stylish and affordable finds, but in the grand tradition of retail as therapy, it also got my mind working. Life has been ridiculously good lately… so much so, that I am wary to even “put it in writing” for fear of a jinx. Sure, not everything is perfect in PoseLand [shocked?!], but the amount of positive energy I’ve felt since I started writing has been intoxicating. When work/life struggles zap my mind, it is so comforting to know that I have carved out a sanctuary of sorts for my creativity to manifest itself. And the fact that I get to share it with the people that I care about makes it all the more rewarding.

Earlier this week, I got the chance to do my first interview feature for The Neat Sheet. Talking with my charming subject, Red Light store manager Erica Easley, helped me join together a few random thoughts that had been aimlessly wandering in my mind for a while now, thoughts having to do with shopping locally and what that means vs. shopping at a retail powerhouse like H&M [coming at long last to PDX 11.11.10!]. Erica drew the parallel between the trendy movement to eat locally [buying in season fruits/veggies, patronizing restaurants that source from regional farms, giving business to the neighborhood bar, etc.] and what should be an equal push towards shopping locally [boutiques, independent retailers, crafty friends, etc.]. For some reason, when she started talking about those two ideas being connected, my visit to Palace, my time at Folly, my contributions to The Neat Sheet, all started to coalesce into something beyond my original intention of expanding my mind outside of 9-5 life. If communities were collectively committed to supporting local establishments, would it slowly become more affordable to do so? Could a uniting sense of commonality come from the mere act of buyer autonomy? Can I create constant choruses of creatively composed alliteration?

I’m a sucker for Forever 21 and the like just as much as the next underpaid Jane perusing the mall on her day off. I sure as shit do not plan on abandoning my bargain shopping ways anytime soon, but rather I find it essential to the sustainability of the city I inhabit, the city I love, the city in which I strike such a foxy pose (and thus have material to write..) to make an effort to purchase from places like Palace. Of course, in the event of a ginorm raise, I would obvi consider diverting all fashion expenditures to the local yokels.

Until then, I urge you to bring awareness to the power of your dollar. Where it goes can have an impact on what goes up around you. It is the same reason why living in Portland I wouldn’t dream of going out of my way to choose a Starbucks when there countless independent alternatives that offer a better quality cuppa joe than the corporate sludge. If you want to see more gems like Palace, then support those types of establishments. It sounds simple, but spending the extra dollar or twenty to shop at boutiques really gets you so much more than the article(s) you leave with. I describe my visit to Palace as an experience, not an errand. I devoted a whole post to it, for chrissake! And it is prescisely that type of stimulation, of sensory arousal that makes the extra money worthwhile.

Pose-rs spend their bucks wisely. You are what you eat AND where you shop.

Happy Sunday, Pose-rs. Enjoying my weekend thus far, but also feeling a bit like hibernating all day in #5. Is it the rain? Is it the late night haze? Is it the fact that I’ve only had 8oz of espresso and it is almost noon?!

I’ve included my anthem of the morning for your listening and viewing enjoyment. The clip appears so dated, especially because Letterman looks so young (and so much like my father!). The idea of alone time has been on my mind a lot lately. Discussions with a close friend who does not enjoy time to themselves has led me to examine why I crave it so much in my own life. Why have I truly started to feel alive and self-sufficient only after moving into an apartment by myself? Why do I feel it absolutely necessary to be single right now? Am I trying to hide that which I find unacceptable or unworthy? Or is this just ‘classic me,’ overanalyzing thoughts till they are indecipherable instead of just letting them be felt? What is it that scares me about letting someone else in? Hmm…

This song really speaks to all of that and it comforts me. Now WZ’s ponytail is another story…

I suppose I should go interact with the living at some point today. I am noticing how often the public/private conversation has come up in my life, in my writing, on my blog. New rain coat and wellies are enough reason to head out and be seen, thank god for clothes!

I am so torn over this question. On a recent evening after work, the beautiful November Vanity Fair [long live print media] was in my mailbox touting the upcoming release of Marilyn Monroe’s private writings. I was sucked into the article immediately, despite not really being a fan of hers. What is it about access to the private thoughts of dead celebrities that seems to fascinate the common folk? What are we hoping to gain? Insight into untimely and/or unsolved deaths? Assurance that US Weekly is correct in proclaiming “Stars, they’re just like us!”?

I believe it is a combination of all of the above, plus much more depending on who you ask. A lot of it is based on the notion that we put these well known figures on such a pedestal and it is somewhat sickly comforting to learn that even the most famous blonde bombshell was just as painfully insecure as we all are. Celebrities seem to have it all: money, notoriety, sex-symbol status….. none of which can eliminate self-doubt or mend a fractured childhood. It is so reassuring, right?! Maybe I DON’T have it all that bad when I miss the train bythismuch in the morning!

Photo cred: wikipedia.org

The title of this post comes from the cover of Journals, a collection of Kurt Cobain’s writings made public in 2002. This quote speaks to me as a writer and journalist because it gets to the core of why the concept of a diary is private: where else can one bitch, moan, emote, expose the inner weirdo without judgement if not on the blank page in the book hidden under the mattress for no one else’s eyes? The very idea of journaling creates a solitude unmatched in other creative outlets, especially among the online culture of tweets, status updates and blogs [ahem] that we find ourselves in today. I always put myself in the shoes [er, coffin?] of the dead celeb being exposed, most likely in the name of profit. How would I feel knowing my deepest thoughts/hopes/desires/insecurities were being sold to the masses? What is to become of my own journals (of which exist sporadically all the way back to my childhood and consistently since May 2002) when I am not around to fill them?

It might be silly to ponder the reactions of the deceased, but I know we all see the bigger question here being one of privacy. In the aforementioned digital age we currently inhabit, is anything truly ours? The comfort of the written word is the one place I feel completely safe. As far as what becomes of my own method of self preservation when I head to the great long sequin covered runway in the sky, I shall ponder.

There are discrepancies between public and private personas in all of us- I do not mean to suggest this only occurs among the rich and famous (and/or dead). Keeping one part more guarded and protected against eyes that Kurt knew would only judge, ensures an outlet where we can reconcile the two parts and as best we can. Sort of makes me wish they still made those novelty diaries with tiny locks…

Until next time: read, write, judge, forgive, empathize. We’re all in this together! Some of us just look better. Wink!

I’ve been carrying a….well you see, I’ve been toting a… it really is more convenient for me to have a… a……………… BACKPACK.

{shudder} It’s like I can feel the stones being thrown by those who trust me to practice what I preach! Please, I beg you to follow along and allow me to explain.

Photo cred: Yes, it is mine. Also pictured are my new gloves as a redemption offering.

My apologies for the glare, but I went with this photo because the reflector only seems to highlight my fashion faux pas. As you know, I am a commuter to work via public transit. It is a relatively short trip, albeit one that often requires packing and planning for the work day and post-work excursions. And since it is me and I cannot go anywhere lightly, I routinely travel with my vintage Samsonite cross body bag and my reusable lunch sack from Fred Meyer (obvi super chic). As colder and wetter weather arrives, my load to and fro is growing and my comfort was suffering. Not really sure what to do about my cluttered shuffle to the train and back, I forged on feeling clumsy and weighed down.

Enter my black North Face backpack circa 2001. It was not an obvious solution because I keep it in my storage unit below #5. It isn’t that I am sooooo ashaaaaamed of owning it, it’s just that it would never cross my mind to be used for any reason other than the occasional (read: extremely rare) trek into the great outdoors. I initially coerced my mom into purchasing it under the guise of practicality for an upcoming Youth Group trip in high school. Truth be told, North Face was the shit! Never mind that the highest “face” on the north side of Indianapolis was the second floor of the mall, everyone who was anyone owned something from the outdoor aficionado’s brand. Clearly it makes no sense in hindsight, as trends from our youth rarely do, but the backpack has stuck with me. It has been on my back through high school, college and many airports. When I needed a more condensed system to transport my usual “stuff” AND my yoga mat, I turned to my backpack, and lordy did it deliver! Although you cannot really see it in the photo, there are these hella amazing straps at the base of the backpack where one can easily affix an extra sweater, a raincoat, or I don’t know, a tightly rolled yoga mat, without taking up room inside. Genius. And the side pockets that perfectly house my ever-present water bottle on one side and my battered cell phone&house key&ipod on the other? Brilliant.

What it comes down to for me is a matter of Fashion v. Function. This is a battle I despise and one Portland loves. One of fashion’s supposedly inherent nuisances is that looking good is thought to come at the price of comfort and practicality [hello 5 inch Louboutins]. Now I do not believe that one must teeter on platforms and/or stuff their wobbly bits into Spanx to be foxy, however I do believe it putting oneself together and projecting a certain aesthetic.. whatever that may be for yourself… the majority of the time. Portland style is so odd to me because it seems like function and practicality prevail over fashion and flare in most instances. I’m sure this is one we can blame on the weather and the outdoorsy spirit of the PacNW, but it is worth noting that REI parkas and Hunter wellies far out number Burberry trenches and heels.

Sigh….I feel better having come clean and I hope you understand the reasoning behind my latest choice of hauling device. Little by little I am embracing the practical nature of my current surroundings and always seeking to better evaluate fashion within the context of my whereabouts. Just don’t expect to hear about me climbing Mt. Hood anytime soon.

Strap it on [the backpack, dirty reader!] and do what you gotta do in the name of comfort.

I polished mine “Revlon Red” this evening [what is it about red nails?! SEXY]. Feeling instantly more glam and in need of some eye-candy, I image searched “red nails” and stumbled upon this great shot of my gal MK looking fabu sporting rouge lips and a rosy mani. I really do not care for red on myself, but there is something to be said about it’s power to turn heads, to make eyes take notice. Just-rolled-outta-the-sheets curls tossed to one side do not hurt, either. Wink!

My work week has come to a close [woot!] and my weekend will be glorious. My mom is en route and I am so excited to see her and have a “shadow” for the next two days. Nothing big planned, just want her to see how I live my life….and fund some groceries.

Some great stuff via my HuffPost friends today:

As I first wrote here (a month ago?! really?), I was very excited to learn that Takashi Murakami is exhibiting work in Versailles through December 12, 2010. Given the historical significance of the locale, however, controversy was bound to follow such a juxtapositional pairing. The artist himself addresses the issue head on in this piece, as well as providing seven new images of the exhibition [one of which is now my new background on my work computer LIKE!]. I agree with his assertion that one of art’s most principle roles today is to stir things up, challenge the status quo, serve as an igniter of conversations. Go ahead and put contemporary art in a sacred historical setting, why the fuzz not?! At the very least, it gets people talking about art, which goes back to that old saying “any publicity is good publicity.”

Also via HuffPost, an exciting announcement that Lesley M. M. Blume’s column, Let’s Bring Back will come to life in print on November 1! The article, featuring the lovely Josephine Baker, served as the first in a two-week showcase on Icons of Style, photos and writings about some of the “twentieth century’s seminal tastemakers, designers, and muses” all leading up to the celebration of Blume’s book release. Maybe I will finally learn why/when women stopped carrying those fancy compact cases I see in antique stores. Who’s pumped?! [arm raised]

Sheesh, I just devote a post to her, right?! That first image of her coquettish look upwards? So adorbs. It is true that lace might be my favorite detail in the world right now, but I am not usually a fan of animal prints, especially when they are dubbed the trend for a season. Michelle proves that leopard can look classy, trends can be successfully mixed and that red is a way hotter color on a pixie shorn babe than on a carpet. Point, MW. Bravo!